Blog About Knives

We are in the process of spring cleaning here in my house and it’s been…interesting.  I don’t think I want to know why there was a dead frog in the closet…Anyway, I’ve been hard at work coming up with some new posts so hopefully you will enjoy them.  First though, I am going to finish out this series.  Keep your eyes peeled in April for something new!

Next to my knives, the tools I love most are my Leatherman’s.  I own a half dozen or so different Leatherman’s, dating back about 15 years.  I got my first Leatherman second-hand my Freshman year from my sister’s ex-boyfriend (He wanted beer and I wasn’t sucker enough to “loan” him money – my best investment to date!).   Each year for Christmas, I buy my brother-in-law the latest and greatest Leatherman.  About half the time I end up buying one for myself too.  I have to say my favorite of the lot is the Leatherman Charge TTi, Titanium Handle with Nylon Sheath. 

This 4 inch (while closed) multi-tool with stainless steel body and Titanium handle scales weighs little at just over 8 ounces.  It’s truly a one-handed opening tool with the blades being easily accessible on the outside.  You can carry it by the sheath (nylon or leather, your choice) or by the fixed lanyard ring.  If something goes wrong with the multi-tool, it has a 25 year warranty.  For the sake of time and my readers, I am just going to list the nifty things this tool has.  If you are familiar with the Charge AL and ALX you may recognize some of these tools (you should, the TTi is a combo of the AL and ALX, along with a couple other things too) -

So I know I’ve posted about this topic before but for this next installment I’m re-featuring Rambo knives.  These knives are really fantastic.  They retail for $80-$150 but you can find some great deals online.  North American Knives has a ton of them, from all four movies.  They are all seriously manly knives but useful too.  My personal favorite of the bunch is the Rambo III bowie knife.  This thing is a beast.  It’s huge – 18 inches in total length with a 13 inch blade.  It’s a bit heavy due to it’s size but the sheer intimidation factor outweighs that, in my mind.  The brown laminated wood handle is designed in such a way to ensure a comfortable, secure grip.  You can carry this knife just tucked into your belt or use the included leather sheath with leg tie.   Between all of us we have every one of these and I splurge on the special editions.  I like the idea of having a limited run knife.  Already these knives are becoming harder to find.  If you have (or are) a macho man, these would be the things for you.

I don’t know about anyone else but it’s been a heck of a week.  I’m going to post this and then hit the hay.  I need a nap.

Today I’m showcasing my favorite knife in the $76-$100 range.  What I like about this price-range is you can get some serious weaponry at a price that isn’t too hard on the heart.  I wanted to feature something different, something that wasn’t just strictly a “Hunting knife” – I settled on Cold Steel’s AK-47 knife.  The Cold Steel AK-47 knives come in both aluminum and black so you have your flashy and your stealth.  These knives have been discontinued by Cold Steel – don’t know why – but they are still available to purchase.  I heard these were a limited run but I haven’t been able to verify it…course, I haven’t tried too hard since I already have them.  Back to the coolness…

The AK-47 knife’s namesake is, of course, the legendary gun designed in 1947 by Mikhail Kalashnikov.  Like the gun, these knives don’t let you down.  Reliable, rugged, simple to operate and maintain, economical, and effective – these same ideas went into the knife as went into the gun.  The Cold Steel AK-47 knives are the easiest knives I’ve ever had to open.  Period.  They feature Cold Steel’s Ultra-Lock so the blade isn’t going anywhere once deployed.  It is one-handed opening but it took me some practice to get it to close one handed.  You can even use your pocket to open it.  The best thing about these knives are the handles.  The aluminum handle is constructed of airplane quality aluminum, bolted to steel liners.  The grip is AMAZING!  It’s smooth in your hands but the knife isn’t going anywhere, even if you’re sweaty.  The end of the handle has a blunted edge which could be used for “non lethal persuasion.”  I used it to tap in some U-nails.  It’s clip can be moved to either side so both lefties and righties can use it easily.  As a lefty, I’ve had to adapt but it’s nice to be able to have something just for me.  The black blade is constructed of G10 over steel liners.  It’s finish has scales.  I find I prefer the smoother finish for extended use.  The blade is SHARP and it stays that was for a while.  It sharpens like a dream.  If I had to pick a knife for some hand to hand combat, I would pick this one.  If I had to pick a knife for a serious deep-woods hunter, I would pick this one.  If I wanted to mug someone, I would pick this one…

I really had no idea how well received this series would be when I first started it.  Yes, it was requested a bunch but I never expected the positive feedback I would be getting.  Thanks!

I wanted to share with you my current favorite multipurpose tool.  The SOG Jungle Primitive survival knife is one pretty amazing tool.  I used mine today to saw off a couple branches that broke off my tree in the front yard…just because I could!  The blade is pretty strong and durable – 420 steel – and is a great knife for basic use.  To be honest, if I were to head off to the jungle I would probably take a stronger steel but since I live in the high desert, it is perfect for my use.  The 9.5 inch blade features a couple cutting surfaces – a plain edge (GREAT for cutting down weeds and underbrush), a serrated/saw edge (handles the birch trees in my yard just fine) and a small serrated/rope cutting edge right next to the handle.  The blade is coated with black hard-cased epoxy so it takes a lot of abuse before the wear starts to show.  I carry a pocket knife sharpener with me when I’m using the SOG Primitive to keep the blade sharp.  The molded Kraton handle with Digi-Grip feels good in my hand.  It’s designed for a bigger hand than mine but I can use it just fine. The base of the handle has a hammering surface which also can be used as a meat tenderizer if you can’t find yours…yes, I have used mine for that purpose… You can carry the SOG Jungle Primitive by using the lanyard attachment points or you can use the two smaller openings to lash the knife to your pack, leg, gun – or make a spear by lashing it to a pole. 

I love my SOG Jungle Primitive.  It always puts a smile on my face and my wallet is very happy too.  It’s a lot of knife for the money.

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog you know that this is the second in a series of my favorite knives at different price points.  I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on the first post so I’m going to keep going for a few more weeks.  As always, if you have a question or comment, don’t hesitate to contact me.

In one of my very first posts I commented on the need for a survival knife.  I’m a big believer in being prepared for anything so I’ve purchased a number of survival knives but my favorite has go to be the Kershaw 1078 Responder Knife. 

The Kershaw 1078 Responder Knife is a AUS8A stainless steel fixed blade knife with a santoprene handle.  What this means is it’s a non-folding knife with a non-slip handle and a strong, reliable blade.  The handle is roughly 5 inches long and the blade is 3 3/4 inches long.  Because the handle is made of santoprene, the length is no problem for my small hands.  The ridges along the top and bottom of the handle help insure a good grip no matter how cold, wet, or muddy my hands are.  The full-tang blade is very strong and durable.  It holds it’s sharpness well and the  blade will stand a lot of abuse before it chips, cracks, or rusts.  The tip of the blade is designed to break glass so it’s incredibly strong.  It has a partially serrated blade and a cutting hook so it will cut through most anything.  It’s not ideal, but you could use the cutting hook as a gut hook should the need arise.  The Kershaw 1078 Responder Knife comes with a Kydex sheath if you want to carry it on your belt.  There are also strap slots and an eyelet for other carrying options.

Even if you aren’t in the “know” about knives like I am, you most likely have heard of Gerber Knives.  It is probably even more likely that you associate them with multi-tools, not actual knives but that is about to change.  Take a look at the Gerber Knives offered by North American Knives.  You will find a Gerber that will suite you needs – I guarantee it.

I discovered Gerber knives about 10 years ago when I fell for their multi-tool.  I hadn’t had the opportunity to use one until this year.  I was impressed with the Gerber Freeman Folding Hunting knife that a friend of mine was using during hunting season.  It was a great fit for my hand, the blade was strong and it stayed sharp all season.  The price he paid was outrageous but I’m not a fool so I checked online.  The Gerber Knives offered at North American Knives were the best priced (as usual.)  Check it out.

As a parent, there are milestones in your child’s life that really changes how you look at them and how you treat them.  These milestones can be when they learn to walk, talk, tie their shoes – sometimes it hurts but sometimes it just makes you so proud.  We hit one of those milestones tonight.  My son asked for a knife for Christmas – not just any knife but a set of throwing knives.  He says he wants to be be able to kill a fly from across the room (oh thank you Hollywood for the ideas you put in children’s heads) and while I doubt that the assasin phase will last long, this requests marks the first time my son has wanted a knife for his very own.  It’s a huge deal.

Being the proud mama I am, we immediately started looking for throwing knives.  We searched online for a few hours (which, if you have kids you understand, is a miracle that he stayed interested that long) and we found his dream set – the Down Under Knives Kookaburra Bowie Survival Throwing Knife Set.  Down Under Knives are always a great purchase.  They really pay attention to detail and quality control.  They are a bit more expensive than some brands but I think you really get what you pay for with them.  

I already placed the order.  It will be here before Christmas.